The Third Wheel of Government – Judicial Media Coverage

In the reading for today, Graber discussed the relationship between the media and the court system and how reporters cover the justice system. Graber mentions that of the three branches of government, the judiciary branch receives the least amount of attention. Due to this low amount of attention, it makes it harder for journalists to cover the judiciary branch properly. The President and members of Congress always try to get media coverage to push their ideas, however, rarely due federal-level judges grant interviews or hold press conferences. Because federal judges are appointed positions, they don’t need to have the same amount of face time with the media that those who are publicly elected need.

As a whole, the media cover only a small portion of the court cases that take place. Usually the cases involving high level officials and celebrities receive a lot of media attention. Cases of famous people like Kobe Bryant, Michael Jackson and O.J. Simpson received more attention from the media than cases with lesser known defendants. Their cases are not different from anyone else, but because of who they are they receive additional media attention. Reporting on crimes is easier for journalists to do instead of reporting on much more complex legal decisions.

The media does play an important role in influencing the justice system though as well. How the media skews a court decision can influence the general public. The public’s reaction can in turn affect future rulings made by the judges. If there is public outcry from a ruling made on such volatile situations as abortion or the death penalty it can lead to different judicial decisions being made by court officials.